run-down

American  

[ruhn-doun] / ˈrʌnˈdaʊn /

adjective

1. fatigued; weary; exhausted.

2. in a state of poor health.

   He was in a run-down condition from months of overwork.

3. in neglected condition; fallen into disrepair.

   a run-down house.

   Synonyms:

   shabby, tacky, seedy

4. (of a spring-operated device) not running because it is unwound.

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run down British  

verb

1. to cause or allow (an engine, battery, etc) to lose power gradually and cease to function or (of an engine, battery, etc) to do this

2. to decline or reduce in number or size

   the firm ran down its sales force

3. (tr, usually passive) to tire, sap the strength of, or exhaust

   he was thoroughly run down and needed a holiday

4. (tr) to criticize adversely; denigrate; decry

5. (tr) to hit and knock to the ground with a moving vehicle

6. nautical

   1. (tr) to collide with and cause to sink

   2. (intr, preposition) to navigate so as to move parallel to (a coast)

7. (tr) to pursue and find or capture

   to run down a fugitive

8. (tr) to read swiftly or perfunctorily

   he ran down their list of complaints

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adjective

1. tired; exhausted

2. worn-out, shabby, or dilapidated

noun

1. a brief review, résumé, or summary

2. the process of a motor or mechanism coming gradually to a standstill after the source of power is removed

3. a reduction in number or size

run down Idioms  

1. Stop because of lack of power or force, as in The alarm clock finally ran down . [Mid-1700s]

2. Make or be tired, cause to decline or be declined in health or vigor, as in His long illness ran him down, leaving him with no energy , or After that huge assignment his strength ran down . [First half of 1800s]

3. Collide with and knock over, as in The speeding motorist ran down a pedestrian . [Second half of 1500s]

4. Chase and capture, as in Police detectives ran down the suspects . [Second half of 1600s]

5. Trace the source of, as in She ran down all the references at the library .

6. Disparage, as in Don't run him down, he's a talented actor . [Second half of 1600s] Also see put down , def. 4.

7. Also, run one's eyes over . Look over, review, as in Let's run down the membership list again and see if we can pick a delegate , or She ran her eyes over the crowd, looking for her husband .

8. In baseball, tag out a runner between bases, as in We might have won but in the last inning they ran down two of our runners .

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Etymology

Origin of run-down

First recorded in 1675–85; adj. use of verb phrase run down

Example Sentences

Wolf, a construction worker who lived with his mother and aunt in a run-down apartment complex off Foothill Boulevard, vented in Instagram comments about the city’s handling of the homelessness crisis.

From Los Angeles Times

Here is a run-down of what has happened to the family members:

From BBC

A run-down shed, a path with broken paving stones, a tiny square of muddy grass, trees along the edge.

From Literature

AFP gives a run-down of where these data centres are being built, and why:

From Barron's

It's no easy task in the run-down former mining town, with those interested in fashion careers looking to places such as Glasgow, around an hour's drive away, or even further afield.

From Barron's

Related Words

• broken-down
• crumbling
• decrepit
• derelict
• deserted
• desolate
• dilapidated
• dingy
• neglected
• ramshackle
• rickety
• seedy
• tacky